becoming the goddess
by eris fault
Summary: iv. ice ice, baby. (mega/stya) •• Men fight wars. Women win them. In which a man dabbles in war, and a woman dominates.
1. i: table of contents

There used to be a Zephyr/Elza story here, but I didn't like it anymore, so I've replaced it with a list of summaries of stories that I don't necessarily like, but don't hate, either.

* * *

**ii: ****_three lessons_**

**pairing: **Seria/Tilith

**genre: **humor/romance

**summary: **Seria may be confused, but she is sure of two things: Tilith is really cute, and Adagio is a manipulative bastard.

* * *

**iii: **_**gambler's fallacy**_

**pairing: **lunaris/summoner (adagio)

**genre: **romance/angst? uh

**summary: **It's a gambler's fallacy. Or maybe she just doesn't want to admit what she already knows.

* * *

**iv: **_**ice ice, baby**_

**genre: **romance

**pairing: **mega/stya

**summary: **Men fight wars. Women win them. In which a man dabbles in war, and a woman dominates.

* * *

**Hope you enjoy whatever I have to offer here!**

**-eris**


	2. ii three lessons - SeriaxTilith

**three lessons**

**pairing: Seria/Tilith**

**genre: humor/romance**

**summary: Seria may be confused, but she is sure of two things: Tilith is really cute, and Adagio is a manipulative bastard.**

* * *

"I need to talk to you," Adagio says the moment they make eye contact, his long and quick strides shortening the distance between them in seconds. He has specifically sought her out; she knows this because she watched his previous three matches in the arena (he trounced his opponents, naturally, and received a gem for his efforts) and it hasn't been long enough for his pass to recharge.

"What do you want?" she asks. He gives her a flat stare, evaluating and clinical, his gray eyes glowing tepid blue as they reflect the light from the Arena.

"…Let's get something to eat," he says, grasping her sleeve and pulling it in the direction of an eatery, presumably.

She jerks her arm back. Free of his grasp, she snaps, "What kind of suspicious suggestion is that? Don't expect me to obey your every word so easily!" It's a formality, really: Adagio, whom she had referred to as "Moron" for the majority of their relationship, had recently been promoted in her respect and therefore had earned the right to be called by his name.

But she has a reputation to keep, and Adagio is an easy target to scream at. His apathetic face pisses her off, and she knows he doesn't take offense to her insults.

If you got her drunk enough, maybe, just maybe, she would admit that Adagio was one of her closest friends.

"It's about Tilith," he says.

"Oh." She follows him, and doesn't notice the knowing glint that enters his eyes.

* * *

"So when are you going to ask her out?" he says as the waitress sets down a basket of bread between them. He's an idiot, so he doesn't see the girl's flushed cheeks. "Tilith, I mean."

She almost spits her drink out, but as a Demon Slayer, she has better self-control than that. Instead, she chokes on it, and coughs. He raises an eyebrow at her, taking a piece of bread in his hands and buttering it.

Giving him her best glare (the jerk doesn't even have the decency to look impressed), she wipes her mouth and stabs a piece of bread with her knife.

"What are you talking about?"

He rolls his eyes. "Seria, we both know what I'm talking about." After a moment, his eyes trail down to her hand, the twitching, tight grip on her utensil, and decides to diffuse the situation. "Your distracting crush on her."

Her jaw drops.

"H-hi! Are you ready to order?" The waitress asks, scurrying over. Her skirt flounces more than usual and her face blooms red when Adagio gives her a polite smile.

"Yes, thanks. I'll have number four with the soup. Seria?" She doesn't reply. Adagio gives an exasperated sigh, and looks up at the waitress. "She'll have number six, medium, sauce on the side."

"…I don't have one," she says, after the waitress practically skips away in lovestruck glee, "of those _things._"

"What things?" he shoots back.

"Y-you know."

"Say it."

"I do not… have a c-crush on Tilith." Like a piranha, Adagio senses her weakness like blood in the water.

"Really? Because it's kind of scary obvious. For example, she smiled and thanked Lugina when he passed her water, and then you _broke his leg_," he says, opening a pad with neat, handwritten notes.

…He kept notes of their interactions?!

"It kind of backfired, didn't it? She had to heal him."

"That was an accident," she insists, feeling of irritation growing as she remembered that day. "And all his whining and moaning made up for it all, anyway."

"An accident," he repeats. "Sure."

"Are you calling me a liar?" she says, patience wearing thin.

He munches on a piece of bread in one hand and taps the pad with the other. "Considering that you were meant to spar with Karl that afternoon," he says, "yes. Not intentionally, but you're dishonest with your feelings, Seria."

She is just about ready to throw her drink at his moronic face. "I am NOT-"

"Calm down," Adagio says, voice harsh. "You're in an area with civilians."

He's right. She's pretty sure that he led her to this restaurant because of that, and therefore he is a manipulative bastard.

"Hear me out, okay?" Adagio takes her hand, and she knows his concern is genuine. This knowledge, however, does not alleviate any of her anger.

"I don't… have a crush," she says.

"So the thought of holding her hand as you each hold a sword, slaying legion upon legion of monsters doesn't make you giddy inside?" he asks, voice droll. "How about hugging her? Or sleeping next to her and holding her warm-"

He stops, eyes wide. "Wow, you have the lamest grin on your face right now," he says, snickering. She throws her bread at him, and he catches it and takes a bite.

She hates that he looked pretty cool at that moment.

* * *

So what if she was in love with Tilith?

So what if she doesn't like Tilith speaking to Lugina too much and the thought of her thighs in those tight black shorts makes her stomach do somersaults, and oh god Adagio was right and she wanted to punch him in the mouth because _Tilith was touching his arm-_

"So, Tilith," Adagio says, slinging an arm over her shoulders. His voice is smooth and confident, oozing some sort of charisma and charm, so different from his regular laziness. "Are you free tonight?"

She tilts her head, eyes wide and guileless and blue. "Yeah! Are you inviting me out, Addie?" She snuggles into his arms, pleasured smile spreading across her face.

He is trying to get a rise out of you, Seria. Do not rise to his bait. Do not rise to his bait.

Adagio smiles, the kind of smile that is dangerous and alluring, and for a moment, he looks like a wolf about to take his prey. "Yup! I was thinking of taking you out shopping first, though," he says, tilting his head endearingly. To Seria, it makes him seem obnoxious. "While you always look really cute, I'd love the chance to see you in other fashions." Tilith squeals in delight and hugs his torso.

Do not rise to his bait. Do not rise to his bait. Do not rise to his bait.

He turns to Seria, smiling. To the normal viewer, it may have been polite and maybe hopeful, but to her, it is nothing but smug and demonic. Who knew that the person she learned to reluctantly respect was such a manipulative cur? "Would you like to join us, Seria?"

Do not rise to his bait.

Her smile is tight. "No thank you. I am busy with another engagement." It is maybe the politest thing she has ever said to him, and she revels in the disappointment that flashes across his face.

"…Huh?" Tilith says, eyes wide. "Are you okay, Seria? You're never this pleasant. Did you catch a cold?"

Oh, what the hell is that supposed to mean. She opens her mouth to yell something derogative, when Tilith comes up to her and stops all coherent thought.

"Hmm! It doesn't seem like your temperature is that high," Tilith says, eyebrows furrowed as she presses her forehead to Seria's. And her eyes are blue, so blue, her face gorgeous and worrying about _her _and her soft lips are right there- "Aah, your temperature suddenly increased!"

She hears Adagio's quiet snicker from the sidelines.

He takes Tilith's hand. "Maybe we can get you a nurse cosplay and you can stay at Seria's side. Tilith's beautiful face has much more healing power than any medicine."

Tilith _glows _with joy.

That…bastard…

"Hmm? Did you say something, Seria?" Adagio says, looking too pleased with himself.

"I said," she says, stepping forward at him, making sure to drive her heel into his foot. His eye twitches in pain, and it is cathartic for her. "I think I can change my appointment. I'll join you tonight."

"Yay! It'll be more fun with more people!" Tilith says, throwing her arms around Seria.

Seria throws Adagio a murderous look, to which he replies with a dopey smile.

_ Adagio: 1. Seria: 0_

* * *

"So, here is the plan," Adagio says, lounging onto her apartment couch and propping his feet onto her sitting table.

"I maul you?" she says venomously.

"Nah," he replies. "Unfortunately, the Summoner's Hall has assigned me an emergency extermination mission in Mirvana, so I can't make it to our meeting tonight."

…What.

"Before I go, I need to make sure you don't dress in something weird and scare Tilith off," he says.

"Are you saying I don't have any sense of style?" she barks.

"I mean, do you wear anything other than your armor, ever?" he says, bored. "While you do look gorgeous in it, it's not suitable for a date."

She blushes at the praise. "I-I'm not going."

"So you're going to leave Tilith alone in the city? You're cruel, Seria," he mocks.

Nnngh…

* * *

"Why are you even helping me, anyway?" she snaps as she lets him undo her ponytail and run a brush through her onyx hair. "Aren't we technically rivals?"

His hands are steady and firm, but gentle. It makes her sleepy. "Hm. I guess Tilith _might _have a crush on me," he says, rolling his eyes at her annoyed reaction. "But I think you're better suited for her. Anyone who looks at you two can see how badly you've got it for her."

But not the other way around, huh.

"Oh, please. Tilith is the 'love everyone' kind of person, so once she's aware of your feelings, I'm sure you'll get the love you want. Relax." He takes her kettle and pours a mug of tea for her, which she accepts with two hands. "But your jealousy is a real problem. It's gotten so disruptive that Karl even agreed to keep Lugina and Paris away from our missions until this is all settled."

The thought that her partner would plot behind her back like that is kind of hurtful. And the ease with which Adagio seems to read her mind is kind of disturbing.

"Why not just talk to me up-front, then?" she says, voice coming out more timid than she intended.

"Well, you're not the easiest person to confront," he says, "so we had to prepare. This is the confrontation. We're sorry for sneaking around, but we do it because we care." He pats her cheek.

"So are you and Karl…" she starts. It's been a hot topic amongst the men and women of the Akras Summoner's Hall for years, that two of the most eligible bachelors in town choose to remain single (and around each other) rather than date. Therefore, the two had to be in some secret, sordid relationship.

She knows Karl well enough to understand that he saw the other male Summoner as a close friend and brother. She couldn't care less about the rumors.

Adagio, on the other hand… has always been an enigma to her, ever since she met him that fateful day in Mistral. And if he has feelings for Karl…

"Having hot sex? Pfft, no," he replies flippantly. "I didn't think you were the kind of person to listen to rumors like that."

She bristles. "I'm not-"

"Besides, I'm much more interested in Lugina."

This time, she does spit out her drink.

"Ew," Adagio says, dabbing at his arm with a napkin. "You got it everywhere."

Tea dribbles down her chin and onto her black under-armor. She doesn't care, because _what. _The idea of Lugina and Adagio together… her brain shuts down, completely rejecting the mental image.

"I'm kidding, if it helps your brain heal," Adagio says, wiping her mouth for her.

…

"I'm going to punch you," Seria says, her face splotched red.

He ignores her. "Besides, dating Lugina would be too much like dating you." He tilts his head and hums thoughtfully. "Actually, have you ever considered-"

She kicks him, instead. Hard enough to bruise his ribs, but not break anything. He still has to do her makeup, after all.

* * *

"Not bad_,_"Adagio says as he hands her a pair of shoes. "Flats, so your kicks hurt less_,_"he explains.

That is a challenge. She accepts.

Adagio has put her in a comfortable dark red dress that hugs her curves, the skirt fluttery and asymmetrical and perfect for any impromptu battles. Her hair has been let down and subjected to a curling iron, so it tumbles down in soft waves.

"Alright," Adagio says, pushing her out the door. "Go get 'em, tiger." And he locks her out of her own apartment.

Suddenly, the reality of the situation hits her like the powerful swing of a Goblin's hammer.

She is about to go on a date. With Tilith.

Possibly the prettiest, nicest girl Seria has ever met.

…

Her stomach churns.

* * *

"Waah!" Tilith gasps, covering her mouth with a dainty hand. "You look so cute, Seria!" She is standing by a fountain by the Armory, the sunset casting orange hues on her already shimmering hair.

A single look at her, and it's obvious that Tilith is not an ordinary person. Her smile is bright and enchanting as she waves madly at her friend.

Seria, who has fought dozens and dozens of battles, feels the overwhelming urge to run away.

"T-thanks," she says, cringing at her stutter.

"Ehehe, I don't really have any clothes aside from the ones I normally wear," Tilith says, rubbing the back of her head sheepishly.

You look cute no matter what you wear, she thinks, and blushes bright red at the thought.

"I-if you want, I can take you out shopping after we eat," she says.

"Yay! That sounds like it'll be a lot of fun!" Tilith looks around, hands on her hips. "Where's Adagio, though? He's late!" she huffs, tapping her foot against the brick-paved ground.

"…He said that he had a sudden mission to Mirvana, so he couldn't make it," Seria replies, her voice wooden and bland.

"He didn't say anything like that to me!" Tilith says. She's still pretty when she frowns. "It's fine! We can have a good time, just the two of us!" She takes Seria's hand and starts walking.

Seria is so distracted that she doesn't point out that they are going in the opposite direction of the restaurant district.

* * *

"I'm sorry!" Tilith says, bowing deeply. When Seria regains cognitive thought, they are on the opposite side of the city, far from a majority of the restaurants.

"Don't worry about it," Seria replies, sitting on a bench. Tilith plops down next to her. "We can have food from that cart."

She gets up and fetches two orders of fried noodles. When she makes her way back to the bench, Tilith looks troubled.

"…Are you okay, Seria?" Tilith asks, her face troubled.

"Yeah," Seria says. "Why?"

"You seem… different than normal," Tilith says. "Is it because you're sick? You don't have to force yourself to keep me company if you aren't feeling well." She hangs her head, voice trembling.

Seria panics. "No, no! It's fine! It's just because I'm in love with you, and I don't know how to act!"

Silence.

"Uh…" Her head might explode. She wishes she could disappear.

"Is that true?" Tilith asks, voice lacking its usual energy and verve.

Oh, there it is. The rejection. Seria's stomach drops.

"Y-yeah," she says. "You can forget it though-" Warm arms wrap around her waist, and Tilith nuzzles her stomach.

"I love you too!" she replies, exuberant. Seria is pretty sure that Tilith doesn't love her the same way she loves her, and the happiness that rises in her chest is somewhat weighed down by that bittersweet realization.

When Tilith grabs the sides of her face and plants a kiss right on her lips, her negative thoughts evaporate like water in the desert.

* * *

"So that's the story of how your moms got together," Adagio says, lowering the photograph he took of their kiss from a clandestine spot in a nearby alley. "There are two morals to be learned from this story, children: First, love always prevails. Second, always listen to Uncle Adagio because he is always right."

He throws himself to the side as a jagged red sword buries itself in the spot he had been standing at moments ago.

"You lied about having a mission that night," Seria hisses.

"But I was right about everything, wasn't I?" he says, dodging the wild swing of her blade.

She screams in rage.

Tilith wraps her arms around both of her children, laughing at the scene. "The third lesson to be learned," she says as she smiles warmly at her _family_-

-something she never thought she'd attain as a goddess-

"Is never make mommy angry."

_end_

* * *

**Okay, this wasn't so much Seria/Tilith so much as it was Seria/Summoner bromance. Adagio is a huge jerk, so he's a lot of fun to write. There was meant to be more about Seria and Tilith's date, but eh, it's a oneshot. I might add more in the future.**

**I have to admit, writing when the Summoner has a name is much easier than the way I insisted on doing it for Quorum. I'm a glutton for punishment, it seems.**

**On the other hand, I've privately given the fem!Summoner a name, also musical themed. If anyone can guess it, I'll write them a little something!**

**Thanks for reading.**

**-eris**


	3. iii: gambler's fallacy -LunarisxSummoner

**_gambler's fallacy_**

**pairing: lunaris/summoner**

**genre: romance/angst? uh**

**summary: It's a gambler's fallacy. Or maybe she just doesn't want to admit what she already knows.**

* * *

When she first meets him, he's a skinny kid in armor two sizes too big for him, red hair windswept and uncombed.

He summons her on a brisk morning, between Winter and Spring. Out of the corner of her eyes, she can see saplings breaking the soil, fighting cold ground and harsh gales.

"Ah, I've read about you. You're Lunaris, right? Of the Twelve Guardians," he says, interrupting her greeting. "Wait, that was rude. I'm sorry. I'm working on the 'not being rude' thing, but it's hard. I'm Adagio, rookie summoner, and I've been tasked with saving Grand Gaia from the likes of the Four Fallen Gods. Lucius asked me to. Will you help me?"

In the span of twenty seconds, the boy has said about forty different things and nothing simultaneously. Lunaris blinks, parses the words, and wonders if he's insane. What business would the god of the gate have with a greenhorn summoner? Why not ask an elder?

But something in his countenance conveys clarity, confidence, and honesty. Maybe it's a gambler's fallacy that makes her nod. With her track record, this one _has _to turn out well, right?

Maybe it's the resonance she feels, like an omnipotent hum, that washes over her when she looks into his pale, lucid eyes.

She nods.

* * *

At the risk of sounding cliché, Adagio is _different. _Like a dissonant chord in the orderly score of Grand Gaia, something about him simply catches the attention of passerby. With his nonchalant, apathetic attitude, it's odd that he can charm so many with such ease. His companions, the goddess and the boy who doesn't smell completely human, are nearly as odd as he is. But Adagio is in a class of his own.

Of course, Lunaris learns quickly that though the boy is not nearly as unfeeling as he seems.

"I don't really know what I'm doing," Adagio admits, looking morose as he picks up the tattered remains of his squad. It was a harrowing battle. She is the only of his Units who is still corporeal, but she doesn't know for how much longer – Adagio looks ready to collapse. "I'm sorry."

She frowns when she offers him a green bottle and he turns it down. "You won, didn't you?" she reasons. "There's no need to feel sorry."

"I did, but at what cost?" he says. "And please take the cure for yourself."

I don't deserve it, he's saying. She frowns.

"To be honest, I don't like fighting very much. I don't know why Lucius picked me for this mission, or why Tilith has so much faith in me."

Why did you become a summoner, then? She wants to ask him. The frontier at which humans stand at is one wrought with inevitable violence and conflict. But it seems rude, so she doesn't.

"I understand why it's necessary at times, but when you lose so much…" he coughs into his hand, and his glove comes off bloody. "I don't want to have so many regrets when I die. So please take the cure."

His words ring in her ears, and she's swept with a feeling of déjà vu.

* * *

The world is ending.

"Come on, Lunaris. He's up ahead," Alyut says, deflecting one of Luly's devastating spells with the flat of his sword.

Around the pair, bodies are clashing and falling, walls crumbling.

…It's been suspicious to her, from the start. Why did Sodis simply not tell them of the Gods' true plans? Why did Ramna leave turn her back on her lover?

Why didn't Lunaris ever confront Sodis, like Zephyr did?

She wonders how many of her friends will be alive to walk away from this conflict. She's tired. She just doesn't want to regret anything, anymore.

* * *

"You're selfish," she says, and she's not sure if she's talking to him or herself. "You can't expect things to resolve themselves neatly like that. You're not selfless for sacrificing yourself. How do you think it feels to see you on the ground like that?"

At the same time, she's shoving the bottle into his mouth with angry force. He makes a choking sound and some liquid escapes from the corner of his mouth. It trickles down his chin and neck.

When the bottle is emptied, he wipes his face, out of breath. "You know, I didn't think you'd do something like this. You seemed really polite and restrained when we met."

She flushes, surprised at her own actions. "I apologize."

He smiles. "It's fine. Thank you for saving me from myself, Lunaris."

…It's been a while since she's felt something other than the cold impartiality of being a Guardian, or the professionalism of working under a Summoner.

"You're right. It's wrong for me to expect everything to end cleanly. Humans, and gods, I think, are both messy by nature."

He picks himself off the ground.

"But I'm going to try my hardest to do what I think is right. And even if it doesn't work out, I won't regret it, as long as I know I tried."

He begins walking home. She follows him.

Adagio is a formidable opponent on his own. Adagio with conviction is a force of nature.

* * *

"I hope you're never allocated the task of taking care of an injured person, or an infant. I think you bruised my throat."

…She doesn't have any words in her defense.

* * *

Lunaris finds herself growing attached to the scrawny, weird redhead with the love of chocolate desserts and matchmaking his friends together. It's a feeling like ivy creeping over the wall of the building – by the time she notices it, her reluctant feelings of friendship are reach far and deep.

"Don't you think the sexual tension between them was stifling?" he says, taking a bite of his cookie and leaning backwards. In the distance, Mega and Stya are engaged in what can only be described as sloppy kissing. "I'm happy that they could resolve their differences. With their mouths, against each other."

She gives him a flat look. "It only took your meddling to save the day."

He smirks. "Naturally. I think if I applied myself, I could take over Elgaia in a few days."

…She doesn't disbelieve him.

"But if I can use my powers for good and make my friends happy, that's fine with me."

He's ridiculous. She laughs, and takes a cookie from the paper bag he's set down on the bench.

"How heroic of you."

* * *

She gives him a sidelong glance as he nurses the blooming violet bruise on his jaw.

"Lugina annoys me," he says, wrapping his arms around his knees. "He's similar to Seria in that they both hide their true selves with aggression. That much is obvious. But Seria is kind. Lugina… hurts others because of his pride."

"I joined the army, even though I hate fighting," Adagio mutters to nobody in particular, "because it's Karl's dream to serve the people of Elgaia. I'm a bit selfish, I guess. I can't trust anyone with my precious friend, so I became a summoner to protect him. Maybe Lugina's right, and I'm not suited for the job. But I don't really care."

She finds herself saying the words before impulse control can stop her.

"I first joined the Guardians with my childhood friends. I was excited and young. Then…"

* * *

When she was summoned by him, she expected it to be a clinical, cool transaction. She never thought she would go in far too deep for her own good. She had never revealed her true thoughts about the events that transpired. The time never felt right.

That was maybe another regret of hers, before she died.

As her story unravels, so does she. By the end of it, she's on the ground too, crying. Arms wrap around her body.

"You didn't have to say all that, but you did. Thank you." Adagio presses his forehead against her back, and he's warm.

And maybe it doesn't hurt as much anymore.

* * *

"I didn't have a chance to say it before," Adagio starts, as they run through the vortex, looking for elemental pots to pummel and collect. "But I don't think any of that was your fault."

The rest of the squad has been ordered ahead, and their summoner hangs back to speak with her.

"Your only crime was caring. It was on Sodis for not properly communicating, and Alyut for diving headfirst down the path of vengeance. You were… caged, to say the least. I can't imagine any solution to your particular quandary, even years in the future."

She's pretty sure that he's thought of at least three, but he's being nice, and she cries again. He stops in a field of flowers and pats her back.

"Why is Lunaris crying?" Faris asks, alarmed.

"Well, I was experimenting with mind-manipulating spells, and one hit her by mistake, so she can't control her emotions right now. It should wear off in like an hour, though."

Answers ranged from "You're stupid, Adagio!" (Orna) to "What would you do with a mind-manipulating spell, anyways?" (Stya). The group believes Adagio's lie – it's so idiotic, it _has _to be true, and they don't question her for the rest of the mission.

Afterwards, her face is red and she's dizzy and tired, but it's a good kind of tired. She smiles with a genuineness that she didn't know she was capable of anymore.

"Thanks," she whispers in his ear as Orna tries to break Elza out of her shell with the brute force of her optimism.

He doesn't say anything, but the minute smile on his lips are all the reply that she needs.

* * *

Smiles come easier after that. So do tears.

* * *

"You've changed," Signas says about a day after walking through the summoning gate.

Lunaris doesn't know what to say to that.

* * *

Adagio's eyes widen a fraction as he advances deeper into Terminus, only to be intercepted by a trio.

Alyut, Raydn, and… herself.

What is the nature of the gates that govern the universes? Can they turn time into a mere plaything, mutable as clay in the hands of an artisan? It's like looking at a snapshot of herself from the past.

Back at the height of her power, she was known as _Dark Charm. _As the gorgeous third-in-command of the Guardians. She doesn't see that now – her other self's face is empty and hollow, her skin paper-white and sallow, posture submissive.

Maybe she is being overly harsh towards herself. Or maybe her vision has sharpened in the face of hindsight.

Adagio pauses as his opponents draw their weapons.

"Are you agents of the traitor?" Alyut barks. And it's been such a long time since she's heard his voice. Caring, confident, _naïve _Alyut, whose gentle visage is snarled in anger, hostility, hatred.

She wants to cry.

Adagio is unmoved. "Time out for a second," he says, and turns his back on the three.

_Do you want to face them? _Adagio asks her, sending the mental message across the synapse of their souls with ease. _I can try fighting without you, if you'd feel better skipping out on this battle. I can sub myself in as a unit. _

"I said _time out," _Adagio says, voice scathing with rare annoyance as he deflects Alyut's swing with ease. He sends the swordsman flying backwards with a shockwave of energy. "Aren't you supposed to be the hero, or something? That seemed pretty dishonorable."

_You don't have to force yourself to do things that will make you unhappy._

He's willing to do that, for her. Throw himself into battle to save her from a bit of heartache.

Death is permanent for him.

_I'm fine, _she replies. _I want to do this._

For once, she isn't lying. She does want to fight them. Because…

Her other self, the picture of desperation and resignation. Lunaris wants to speak to her, to tell her…

It'll get better. I promise. Just wait, it'll get better.

None of this is your fault.

Adagio stills for a second.

_Okay. _I trust you, he's saying. She'd never betray his trust.

He turns around.

"Okay, I'm ready," he says, walking over to Alyut and helping him up. "There was an internal issue." His eyes gloss over the _other _her for a second. "Sorry," he says, voice a touch softer. "Is there anything you guys need to do before we start?"

The three seem to hesitate. Adagio's personality is an anomaly, an unidentified object barreling through a battlefield and knocking opponents over, leaving them disoriented and confused. They don't know what to make of him, and the thought makes Lunaris smile.

"…No?" Raydn replies.

"Cool," Adagio says, and summons his squad with a flick of his neck. "Let's start, then."

* * *

He seeks her out after they've cleared the mission. She's curled up in a ball, her hair covering her body like a dark cape.

"I can go," Adagio says, voice nonchalant. "Or I can stay. It's up to you."

Lunaris can't see his expression, but she guesses that it's one of concern. For all Adagio is sarcastic and audacious, he leaks emotion from his eyes like a punctured balloon.

She's quiet for a moment.

"Don't go," she mutters.

"Okay."

* * *

"If you wouldn't mind, I'd like it if you could give me a haircut."

"Of course. Is there a specific style you want?"

She pauses. "Whatever you think suits me."

* * *

"In fiction, a sudden change is a sign of new beginnings," Adagio says. "For girls, a haircut represents a break-up. That's grossly sexist, though. Suggests that the significant events in a female's life is based around romance and relationships only."

His hands are deft and precise, and always gentle. Quickly, the jet-black lengths that she was used to caring for her entire life detach from her, like she's an insect shedding her skin.

"What I'm saying is that you look incredible," he says, handing her a mirror.

It's… startling. Her hair is simply _gone. _Adagio has given her a long pixie cut, her bangs slanted to the right. The natural volume and waviness of her hair suits the style, and wisps of hair curl and frame her face.

"It's different," she says, her voice uncertain. She rubs a soft lock of hair between her thumb and forefinger.

He nods. "I figured that you could use _different_."

Difference aside, her head feels much lighter now. She looks up at him from her seat as he dusts stray bits of hair off her neck.

She was very much a classical beauty with her long hair, but she prefers this, she thinks.

"I love it."

* * *

She wonders what the other Guardians would say if they could see her now.

* * *

"I don't really know about love or things like that," Adagio admits. "I just want my friends to be happy. If they're happy with each other, then that's good. I'll support them, if they want to be with another person or myself."

"…I can't imagine anyone wanting to be with me in _that _way, though. I'm sort of bad at the whole emotion thing."

"I disagree," she says, and she's started by the conviction with which she says it. "You might not show it conventionally, but you're very kind."

Adagio's face twists into a rare expression of surprise. Then he smiles, and it's a subtle, soft thing that makes her stomach sink and her mouth dry.

_Oh no. _

"Thank you."

* * *

"It's obvious, isn't it?" Dia says, winking at her. "You have to seduce him!"

"Absolutely not," she says, frowning at the witch.

"But your haircut, and change in character, and everything was because he helped you, right? You smile a lot more now. It's really romantic! Don't you love him?"

Lunaris doesn't respond.

* * *

Sodis, Alyut. Adagio. She doesn't know. Her love ends in bloodshed and heartbreak, inevitably. A part of her hopes and wants and pictures Adagio, his impassive eyes filled with love for her, maybe. She doesn't know. She doesn't know.

To expect him to be different from the others is a gambler's fallacy.

…Or is she just afraid of taking risks, now?

* * *

He's in that clearing where he first summoned her, sitting in tall grass. His legs are crossed and his eyes are closed as he sways his body with the wind, rhythmic and hypnotic.

He turns to her as she approaches. She gulps.

His eyes follow her form as she approaches him, a silent question that she doesn't bother answering.

Now or never. She's on her knees right now, and leans over him-

-and kisses him. It's surprising, she thinks, after all this buildup, the kiss isn't explosive or gratifying or even particularly sexy. His lips are soft, and she can feel his long eyelashes flutter across her face.

She's filled with a feeling of _peace, _of serenity and contentment.

After a moment, they part. His eyes are unreadable, a monolithic stone wall she can't fathom. Lunaris sits down next to him, the dry blades of grass tickling her legs.

"I don't want to have any more regrets," she says. He says nothing. She knows that's enough for him. She's always been enough for him, and she loves him for it.

His reply is a hand that crosses the distance between them and takes hers, and squeezes tightly.

The rest is history.

* * *

**Adagio is my headcanon Summoner, if you've not read the previous story.**

**This idea feels like it should encompass a 30k+ word fanfic, since this pairing is such a slow burn. But this is pretty much the bare-bones framework for it, haha.**

**Unpopular opinion time! I don't like Lunaris/Alyut or Lunaris/Sodis (that's never stopped me from writing those pairings, though). If it's out of the other Guardians, I'd probably pick… Lunaris and Luly? They're a fun duo.  
**

**I think the Summoner would encourage Lunaris to be who she is rather than remind her of who she should be, which is refreshing because she spent all her time alive as the "mature mother-figure" of the Guardians, a role I imagine to be stifling. I also came up with this story right after picturing Lunaris with short hair, which is… heart eyes**

**Thanks for reading!**

**-eris**


	4. iv: ice ice, baby - MegaxStya

**ice ice, baby**

**genre: romance**

**pairing: mega/stya**

**summary: Men fight wars. Women win them. In which a man dabbles in war, and a woman dominates.**

* * *

Stya grows up surrounded by pirates. Loud, sloppy degenerate pigs who would stab their mothers and brothers without a second thought for a scrap of silver.

So she treats them like the livestock they are. In battle, the bodies of her men and the enemy fall around her in equal measure. When the blood splatter starts interfering with visibility, she invests in a pair of glasses.

Razor-sharp and clear. Her perception of the world never blurs.

Despite her brutality, perhaps _because _of her brutality, her crewmembers are utterly devoted to her, and follow her every order.

"Stya's different," they brag, "She's not like other captains. If you try to bribe her or coerce her into doing something corrupt, she'll surely cut you to pieces!"

…It's a compliment, she thinks. Over time, her lack of mercy has weeded out all the greasy rats and left behind individuals that she might even refer to as men. They drink too much and don't bathe often enough, still, but she can trust that she won't be stabbed if she turns her back to them.

So she bends the oceans of the Sama Kingdom to her will, destroying at her whim. Her crew follows her every step. Her will never falters.

Until she meets _that person._

* * *

He's an enigma, but not the mysterious kind that girls croon over and gossip about. No.

Mega is _such _an imbecile that Stya cannot comprehend how he has survived for so long, much less raise a crew of his own.

When a body cell encounters an unknown for the first time, it is not uncommon for allergic reaction to occur. A rejection by the immune system.

"Hi! You must be Stya!" Mega exclaims, running across the room and disturbing her peaceful reverie. It is well-known amongst Stya's crew that nobody interrupts the boss-lady while she is drinking her post-dinner wine.

Stya doesn't recall the last time it occurred. They all end in the same manner: bloody and messy. She looks up from the rim of her glass.

Mega is the very picture of youthful handsomeness, with a sharp-cut jaw and eyes like fine sapphires. He extends a gloved hand in front of her, which she stares at.

He probably expects her to take it, smile genially, and say something vapid like "Yes, hello Mega. I am Stya. It is a pleasure to meet you."

Mega smiles, oblivious to one of her crewmen who is saying a prayer in his name. "You know, you're not as scary as the rumors say you are."

He probably does not expect wine and glass to explode across his face, and he certainly does not expect to be thrown out of the window.

* * *

She does not expect to see the young, too-cheerful captain again. After his leisurely swim in the ocean, he ought to run with his tail between his legs at the sight of her.

However, it seems like he _seeks _her out. Bumps into her in the most remote locations, like clockwork.

She's pretty sure that one of her crewmembers has asked one of his crewmembers to be his daughter's godfather. She'd rain on that parade, but Isaiah is so ridiculously _happy _about it all that he's become a better fighter as a result.

Is Mega trying to ensure her safety, in some misguided way?

How irritating. Does he think that she's some kind of flower to be coveted, constantly in danger of being crushed or stolen?

It's also irritating, because he…

He gets into trouble way more often than he saves her from it. Rather, he's always setting off traps in ruins or accidentally declaring war on the natives of villages they pass by.

Mega simply _smiles _at the problem, and it usually fixes itself.

She doesn't understand.

("It's called being personable, Stya! It works, ya know?")

…Yeah, she definitely doesn't get it.

* * *

"I won't warn you again. Stop following me," she says.

He studies her face. "Do you really need those glasses?" With a predatory speed she doesn't expect, Mega grabs her favorite red frames and examines them in the light.

Her spear spits frost onto the young captain's neck as her irritation radiates from its blade.

"Um," Mega says, the epitome of eloquence and grace. "I'm very sorry?"

Then he dodges her blade and plants a quick kiss on her lips. "You're-cute-with-glasses-off-though-"

His crew has to dock by the nearest town to find a healer proficient enough to seal up the profuse bleeding of a severed main artery.

* * *

"It's kind of weird," he says, breathless. "I mean, the last time I kissed you, you, well… you know, eviscerated me."

Stya thinks that she likes the bashful expression on his face, the flushed cheeks, the dilated pupils. She runs a finger up the side of his neck and traces his jawbone, smirking when he shivers.

"Are you complaining?"

"Hell no, ma'am."

* * *

"I cannot _believe_ you," she seethes, charging forwards.

"Stya, please listen-"

"I refuse." She doesn't have words for a slave of the Navy. A pirate values freedom above all else – above all material wealth or wine or comfort. To willingly shackle himself to government, to order…

She's looking at a stranger.

How _dare _he befriend her, fight alongside her, _love _her, just to become an Admiral?

He blocks her powerful downwards sweep, the shine of his axe reflecting light in her eyes. Poseidon is a gorgeous, ornate treasure, but it may as well be manacles clamped to his wrists.

"I understand that you and the other pirates hate me now. At first, I didn't care about the role, but…" he trails off, and the composed, serious expression is so _wrong _on his face.

She knows that no number of slaps or kisses or pleas will let them turn back to the way they were before. Mega is going to a place where she can't follow.

He smiles at her, and he's never looked so old before.

"I guess what I'm saying is that even if you hate me, I still really like you. Love you, even."

He walks away, and she can't gather herself to follow him.

* * *

She picks up the mess that is Mega's rioting crew, and she's surprised at the ease with which the belligerent pirates accept her leadership.

"I don't fucking get it," Soren grumbles, sipping at his beer. It tastes like lukewarm dog piss, but it gets him drunk and that's all he can really ask for.

"What're ya talking about?" Elin asks, refilling his mug.

"Why're we takin orders from _her_? She's just as bad as the trait-" Elin covers his friend's mouth, and shoves the alcohol into his hands.

"What the fuck, man. Why are your hands so sour?"

Elin ignores Soren's bitching. "Are you goddamn stupid? She's the perfect leader."

"What? I know she's hot and all, but-"

"Nobody hates the Admiral as much as Captain Stya does."

* * *

"Idiot-!"

Mega lies limp on the floor, crimson blood pooling around his form like the frame to a macabre painting, his skin slowly rapidly losing pallor. She can see the life dripping out of him like sand through the neck of an hourglass and _no, no,_ this is wrong_._ Why did he take that blow for them?

Why would the Admiral of the Sama Navy lower himself to protect a group of pirates, the lowest dregs of society?

Mega is a disruptive insult to pirates and he is sloppy and needs to be strangled four or five times for his own good. Mega picks himself up off the ground when she throws an iron pot at his head, laughing like a moron the entire time, a booming, obnoxious sound that fills her head and chases away all other thoughts (like ones involving pacifism).

Mega does not laugh and smile bitterly as she staggers towards him, disoriented from the explosion, reach up with a shaky, weak hand and trace the edge of her face-

-he smears blood on her glasses, and red tints her vision-

-down to her neck, where he allows it to rest.

"Y'know," he says, voice dull and slurred. "I didn't expect the meeting to end so _explosively."_

Her eye twitches. She can't help it. Mega laughs again, and it's a bit happier this time.

"I missed that angry expression of yours. I missed you a lot, Stya. I wanted to see you, even if you didn't want to see me."

"Don't make me say it, idiot," she says, and hates how weak her voice is. It's like she's a little girl. But even as a little girl, Stya has always been full of confidence and determination, never losing sight of her goals.

She's never felt this way before. It's terrifying.

Mega grins, and if she ignores the blood staining his teeth, it's a spitting image of the first smile he gave her that night on her ship, so many days ago,

"We'll say it together, then." He takes her hand in his.

* * *

His lips are cold against hers.

_I love you._

* * *

The skeleton remains of her crew find her standing on the ship's dock, sipping on a glass of red wine. Clutched in her hand, there's a black cloth greasy and dripping with some dark liquid.

They're afraid to approach her. While the Arctic Frost of Sama has always been intimidating, this woman seems otherworldly, like an angel of death.

"Let's go," she whispers, all grace and poise. Her dress is stained with blood and limp and torn, but it is irrelevant; clothes do not a queen make, and the ruined wedding gown is the mantle that the pirate queen Stya has chosen to don.

And she will reign with an iron fist.

(All debts must be repaid.)

* * *

"Greetings, sailors of the Sama Navy. You may have heard of me before. I am Stya."

Murmurs, some of awe, some of suspicion, some of fear.

(And is it any wonder-)

"I come to offer alliance."

(-that the gods don't stand a chance?)

* * *

"You were pretty scary out there, you know!"

She whips her head back, because that _voice_.

Mega smiles at her and rubs the back of his head. "I guess the gods of the ocean really like me or something, because they gave me a second chance. I'll have to polish Poseidon extra hard from now on."

She…

"Or maybe the gods were enthralled by our love," he suggests, winking. "Anyways, you handled the gods perfectly on your own, so I thought it was best to stay out of the way until everything was over."

She… has _no words…_for this _idiot._

"Can I have my eyepatch back, by the way? It feels weird not wearing it."

"C-captain! That's not where eyepatches go!"

"_You're killing the Admiral!"_

* * *

**I LOVE STYA. I LOVE HER SOOOOO MUCH OH MY GOOOOOD. She's my second favorite female Unit after Michele. Mega, comparatively, is okay, but if being with him is what makes Stya happy, I wish them the best.**

**I REALLY LOVE CHARACTERS WHO LIKE… SEE WHAT THEY WANT AND **_**TAKE **_**IT. AND LOOK AS GOOD AS STYA DOES WHILE DOING THE TAKING.**

***heavy breathing* Well, that's my love letter to Stya.**

**Thanks for reading!**

**-eris**


End file.
